Electric sign and method of its operation



April 1, 1930.

G. w. TARKINGTON ELECTRIC SI GN AND METHOD OF ITS OPERATION Filed Dec. 20, 1923 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 THERIEJS f X f m E W A THERE l5 TSflEREHE I 73 HEALTH aaxyw FUR a t- 55 F'IJR THIJEE WHEILE WHEAT WHEILE WHEAT [Gigi-2 13 WHERE [IS THEIEEUS wzz gfiw [HEALTH 7 [IN FIJR THIIIEE FIJRYTHDEE 4 WHEILE WHEAT WHDLE w|-||: 1' 7 3 7/? 1 I THERE [IS WNVENTOR. [IN G. W 7zzr/r/ny F DR THIJEE j WHEILE WHEAT had April 1, 1930.

G. W. TARKINGTON THEREAIE THERE [IS HEALTH HEALTH I IN IN FDR THIJ5E FIJR THIJEE WHEILE WHEAT WHEILE WHEAT 7 13 7&4 FY2913 THERE HE THERE [IS IIIIEAHIII HEAEEH IN I FUR THEIEE IF'EIIFI THIEIEE WHDLE WHEAT WHIJLE WHEAT ym 15 1; 1'1 10 I THERE IS THERE IS [HEALTH HEALTH IN IN FER! TFHIEEE FUR THUS-E WHIEILE WHEAT,

WHELE WHEAT INV ENTO G 14 Tar/n 7 on t y I w- A l ORNEY.

Patented Apr. 1 1930' UNITED STATES GEORGE w. riinxmc'rox, or SILVER. IPLUME, cononnno mnc'rnxc SIGN AND METHOD or rrs OPERATION Application filed December 20, 1923. seria iwo. 681,888.

My invention relates to a methodof operating electric signs and its primary object is to provide in combination with a sign-representing a slogan, sentence or other related group of words in electricallyilluminated characters, a switching apparatus which automatically directs the current flow to said characters during intermittent periods in a cyclic operation so that out of certain words of the sign otherwords are constructed which in the order in which they appear, form an expression or phrase preferably the subject of the sign.

With the above object in view, my invention consists first, in spelling a word of the sign from letters contained in one or more other words of thesame, by consecutively illuminating the letters of the spelled Word relating to until the entire word is illuminated, and si-' multaneously darkening the corresponding. letters of the other word or words; second, I

' signin the different consecutive phasesof the in illuminating parts of one or more words of the'sign exclusive of otherparts of the same, to form words of different meaning express a thought relative to its subject; and

7 third, in accomplishingthese actions in cyclic succession so as to produce a sentence, phrase illustrated in the accompanying drawings which represent a sign consisting of the words THERE IS HEALTH IN FOR THOSE WHOLE WHEAT inthe different aspects it assumes by the successive actions in the cyclic operation of the switching apparatus which controls theflow which together with other words of'the sign" of current to the characters of which the sign is composed. V

It will be understood that the wording of the sign in the illustration is given merely. as an example to better explain the distinctive features of the invention and the novelresults attained in its operation, and that any subject other than WHOLE lVHEAT may be taken as a basis upon which to construct a sign in accordance with my. invention as outlined hereinabove.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows in electrical connection with the display board of the sign, a diagrammatic representation of the development ofa motor-driven rotary make and-break apparatus of the commutator type which in the operation of the sign causes the characters of which the words of the sign are composed tobe illuminated and darkened in the required order. Y 435 The other figures of the drawing show the cycle, the characters of the sign which are illuminated having been drawn in outline and those which are darkened in full lines: 1 It will not be necessary to illustrate or describe any of the mechanicalparts of the sign such as the electric motor,th'e rotary switch, or the means for transmitting motion from the one to the otherv since all these de-- F vices are well knownin the artand do" not form part of the present invention except in a general sense. I

Inthe diagram shownin Figure '1', the black spaces 5 of the commutator rings Grepiesent so insulation, and the white represent the conductive portion of the strips. The commutator is designated in its entirety bythereference character 8. I

The conductors of electricity connecting the rings 6 with the difierent characters of the sign have been shown at 12 and the sign itself has been designated by the numeral 13. Figure 1 represents the sign as it appears in day time when the switching apparatus is=-ao in a condition of rest and the lighting circuit in whichthe sign is connected is broken, by any convenient means, not shown.

In the daytime all the words of the sign are plainly readable at a distance with the exception of the words FOR THOSE which are painted in the same color as the background of the sign and which therefore can not be discerned except from a near point of View. The sign thus reads ordinarily THERE IS HEALTH IN WHOLE WHEAT whichis the broad idea itis intended to express. V

A It is a well known fact, however, that in order to impress the average person or the casual observer, it is necessary that some action takes place which attracts and arrests his attention and this I accomplish by the operation of the sign as will now be described.

Considering Figures 2 to 12 in their regular order,the first action obtained by'rotation of the commutator-switch after its electric lighting circuit has, been completed and its motor has been set in motion, is the darkeningofuall the letters of the signvexcept WHOLE. WHEAT which thus being -flashedby itself upon a dark background, strikingly announces the subject of the sign.

letter, while the corresponding letters of the,

a In the nextaction, the words THERE IS are first illuminated after which the word HEALTH is illuminatedletter by (,WOI'dS WHOLE WHEAT are simultaneously extinguished. Thus when the first when the next letter E is illuminated the last letter of the word WHOLE is darkened and so on until the entire word has been spelled.

, By thus constructingthewordHEALTHI the attention of the observer is not only maintained until the entire word is com-v pleted but theidea is conveyed tothe mind,

whole wheat, or in other words, that the use of the observer that health is derived from of wholefwheat produces health.

In the third action illustrated in Figure 4, the remaining letters of the words WHOLE WHEAT are extinguished .so I that the sign reads THERE IS HEALTH,

which is immediately followed by the illumination of the word IN and the words WHOLE WHEAT, as shown in Figuresand 6, so that the sign now reads THERE IS HEALTH IN WHOLE WHEAT which emphasizes theiidea previously conveyed ibyispelling the word HEALTH from characters of the Words WHOLE WHEAT.

In thenext following action, the entire series'of actions in the cyclic operation, which though distinct from each other, conjunctively impress the idea involved in the sign upon the mind of the observer.

The first series of actions hereinhefore described, taught that there is health in whole wheat and the second series teaches how health may be obtained by the use of Whole wheat.

Commencing with Figure 8, the first action of the second series illuminates the words THERE IS while the other parts of the sign remain dark; in the second action the word HEALTH is illuminated so that the signwill read THERE ISHEALTH.

The following action illuminates the words FOR THOSE and in the next action, illustrated in Figure 11, the letters W, H and O E, A and T of WHEAT are illuminated exelusive of the other letters so that now the pleted by illuminating the other letters of the words WHOLE and WHEAT, and

darkening all the other words of the sign.

It will thus be observed that the second series ofsuccessive actions produces the sentence THERE IS HEALTH FORTHOSE WHO EAT WHOLE WHEAT and that theentire cycleof-actions show first the subjectof the sign WHOLE WHEAT, then impresses upon the observer in a striking manner that THERE IS, HEALTH IN ,WHOLE WHEAT, and finally advises that THERE IS IIEALTH F OR THOSE WHO EAT WHOLE WVHEAT.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patjent is:

L 1. A display device comprising a plurality of words composed of letters capable of separate illumination, the words representing a significant phrase and certain of the words having corresponding letters, and means for the; illumination of one of the words exclu sively, followed by theextinction of certain letters of the illuminated word consecutively and the simultaneous illumination of cone sponding letters in anon-illuminated word.

*2. A display device having a word composed of letters capable of separate illumination, certain of the letters of the word spelling a different word exclusive of the other letters of the same, and means for illuminating the entire word and then extinguishing said other; letters whereby only the letters spelling the different word remain illuminated.

3. A display device comprising a word and letters additional to the letters of the word and corresponding with letters of the word, the several letters being capable of separate illumination, and means to illuminate the 011- tire word and then extinguishing certain letters of the'word and simultaneously illuminating corresponding letters outside the word.

4. A display device comprising a plurality of Words composed of letters capable of separate illumination, certain letters of one word corresponding with letters in another Word, or words and spelling a different word, and

means to illuminate one of the Words exclusively and then extinguishing letters of the illuminated Word and simultaneously illuminating corresponding letters in another word or Words. V

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

GEORGE W. TARKINGTON. 

